Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1887-02-18
TEXAS. ELECTION FRACAS
NO TROUBLE UNTIL THE COUNT
WAS UNDER WAY.

Diamond Shaped Republican Tickets
Put Aside to Await Decision as to
Their Lcgelity--A New Species of
Politician Known As the MuSworm
Prong lit IntO Prominence.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 17.-Mr. Eyarts'
srb.commIttee to-day continued the ex-
animation of witnesses IN the Texas
election investigation. f. 5. Brown
(colored described the destruction OF the
ballot box at Grayball precinct. He was
clerk of the election. No trouble had
occurred until the count was progressing.
when three armed and disguised men en-
tered the room, ordered the election Of
6cers to hold up, and carried away the
ballot box, which was found the next
dav in the road crushed and its contents
torn and scattered and trampled into the
sand.
DIAMoND-SHAPED TICKETS.
GA. Mayo (colored), was oAe of the
indges of the election when his Demo-
cratic colleague objected to counting the
4 Repubncan tickets, which were diamond
4 . sbaned. on the ground that they did not
NOniorm to the law. Accordingly 1873 of
these tickets were laid aside. This wit
ness said he had served as constable In
IA llls precinct buIS0 tCl II NCNAoioh VI
n Ihe Texas Supreme Court, rendered over
n wear previous TO the election now under
N inyaslration, held these diamond-shaped
tickets 10 5s lawful.
SENT TO BRENNAN.
". =. Williams, white (Dem. }, also
testified tn the failure to count lSS dia-
# mond-shRped Republican tickets, and
NJ saId they were put upon separate string
and transmitted to Brennan tor decision
U as to their legality. IL was the witness
# impression that they were not counted or
~ placed on the tally sheet. The witness
~ had been a candidate on the peoples
ticket. but withdrew in favor OF a negro
named h. j. More, who claimed to be
M Republican. Other negroes, however,
called him ''Mugworm." There was no
III intimidation. The witness had never
seen fairer election.
THE PRECINCT DEMOCRATIC.
The precinct bad usually been Demo-
cratic during recent years. The witness
gave it as his personal opinion that the
diamond votes were legal. There was
no contention over The matter, but 1t was
left in abeyance as stated.
A. G. Scott (colored) was sworn. He
Is "a years old, minister of the Gospel,
school teacher and Republican. He is
voter at Chapel Hill. and was there on the
last election day. He passed by Chad
wck's gin house on that morning. The
polls were not open, though between six
ty-fye and seventy eOlored men were
waiting TO vote. The men told him they
acked man to act as presiding judge.
TERROR OF THE NEGROES.
The colored men who were asked to
serve declined, because tney feared
repetition OF the affair at Chapel Hill TWO
years before, when three negroes We're
shot The witness named three OF the
c0lored men there who, to his knowledge,
c0uldread and write. In consequence OF
the murder OF Devices Bolton, an indigna-
ton meeting was held at Brennan and
committees for each precinct were ap.
f0lnted IN the interest of peace. The wit
ness cation became so much
alarmed that they would not come to
Church.
FALSE REPORT.
Some Of the colored men were informed
. nat meeting had decided that they
must leave the county. The witness
s!ied ON the committee and was author
zed TO state tHat they were not after the
oored people, but were after several peo-
lie whom they named) who had been
cung with the white Republicans, who
aue lncendiary speeches. Wm. Glass,
uSuce OF the Peace. was present at this
0nVersatlon. The witness, though Re-
lolcan, voted for Judge Kirk, and told
N'"NiV VShtlOH iIOln ulS pulpit bDdG lit
as gong to vote for him. He knew
ldge Kirk personally, and thought him
sOou lrend OF the cOlOred people.
BETTER SCHOOLS.
Ihe schools for colored people had i'm
oNeu under Judge Kirk's adminlstra-
'l' IAe witness during subsequent
ANIMATION developed a preference for
publican local administrations in gen.
l' put with Democrat inclinations In
lrticular cases.
W.. .. Buster (whte) was sworn. He
SlIoeu the lynching OF the three COL
w. men at Brennan, but threw no new
upon the matters under investiga-
THE NEW COMMISSIONER.
W. Brown (colored), the successful
puollcan candidate for County Com
"iqher, defeating b. ID. Bolton, whose
DeMees bolton, was killed, was
IN. ~ III was for killing Devices Bolton
tue three negroes were lynched Mt
ebham. After lthe election the wilt
a. was informed by friends that he was
Sa aNser sI ana mad better not stay around
e' Inc witness described the precau-
% ue LOOK TO keep out of trouble. Al
ue was was sworn into office he received
"uthorlzlng" him to leave the coun-
Du not serve as commissioner. He
uOI Deen disturbed In the perform.
vi hls duties.
me INDIGNATIoN MEETING.
a. ~. Newman white was sworn. He
~" De.Aoctat. He described the indig-
oVn meeting Of white citizens of Bren.
:. .%o W or three days after the election.
hlTk offered resolution declaring
os 10 hacEsworth, Schuetze. Moore.
, Lockett and Potter he'd been
reot, x an neendiary speeches, they must
IA ',el ieI oe more quiet, or the committee
ga ifisNu ruct them to leave the county.
se.n,..s en.lk made speech in support Of
SSn,N lutlon. Col. Gildings offered an
|ra6iy 'N0 ie'oiu'loH con-
VOICE FOR WAR.
aiy Haines made a speech alludinp
Soina ing Of Bolton, and declared that
Tee was for war.
.es Rider said that the preyious nd.
Sauon OF Judge Kirk had beon a
o1 19uccess, and it was cause of re-
among the good people that he
ae teG.ed. n On cross-examlnation by
r s,a1 ugh the witness said that Judge
ed %eu %oSu IN substance that the men he
aau a oeen going among the colored
n 'hu uu tnere was danger that they